Is The Cursed Child Canon? Not According to Harry Potter Fans It Isn't
It is hard to find a book more accursed than Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
Though its story is extremely successful as a stage play, fans say it just doesn't work as a script book and another installment in the iconic novel series.
While J.K. Rowling herself once confirmed on social media that the book should be considered canon, aka a reality within her fictional universe, the huge Wizarding World fandom refuses to accept it.
'There are a lot of contradictions in the Cursed Child, so either it is canon, or the original series is canon, both can’t be at the same time, and I choose the original series,' one fan wrote on Reddit, echoing the opinion of the majority.
Here's why The Cursed Child can never be considered canon, according to fans.
It is not Rowling's writing
While The Cursed Child is based on a story created with the participation of by J.K. Rowling, the final screenplay that we can buy in a bookstore was written by Jack Thorne. And fans think that only the original author knows the Harry Potter lore well enough to create stories in this universe.
If it does not come from J.K. Rowling's pen, it is nothing but fanfiction.
It breaks the laws of the Wizarding World
The Cursed Child picks up after the final scene of the original series and tells the story of Harry Potter's son Albus Severus Potter and his best friend Scorpius Malfoy, who is, of course, Draco's son. The boys travel back in time to save the life of Cedric Diggory using a version of the Time-Turner.
This leads to disaster, and the boys create an alternate reality in which Lord Voldemort has conquered the world. But in the original series, a time-turner didn't create alternate universes. When it was used, the events took place in the same timeline. That's a big discrepancy, and a big argument for The Cursed Child being a what-if scenario rather than canon.
It ruins beloved characters
The Cursed Child deviates greatly from the themes and tone of the originals. But what angers fans most is the way it portrays beloved original characters that we have watched grow and develop over the years.
In the script book, Harry is an abusive father, Hermione becomes a bitter, cruel and lonely teacher without Ron, the Trolley Witch is a monster, and Cedric becomes a Death Eater after surviving the Triwizard Tournament. Even Voldemort suddenly turns out to be a family man. Crazy, right?
And totally unacceptable.
Source: Reddit.